Marble kaleidoscopic toy



March 29, 1966 j BEVERETT 3,242,799

MARBLE KALEIDOSCOPIC TOY Filed July 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l4b I50I40 3 I20 lOb Q Q llb Och Ila 1 Q Q) Q 1 D Q 28 l FIG. 4

I i 20b FIG. 3

INVENTOR.

BY JAMES H. BEVERETT United States Patent 3,242,799 MARBLE KALEIDOSCOPICTOY James H. Beverett, Montgomery, Ala. The Tumpane Co. Inc, APO 254,New York, N.Y. 09289) Filed July 20, 1964, Ser. No. 383,601 Claims. (Cl.8815) This invention relates to toy kaleidoscopes.

It is the primary purpose of this invention to create a novel toykaleidoscope for the amusement of both children and adults wherein thereflected patterns emanate from spinning circumrotating marbles insteadof from loose or disc-embedded fragments. The patterns formed are of anentirely different character from the fragment pattern type and further,the patterns constantly and rapidly change, thus producing an action toyof considerable interst.

Another object of the invention is to create an educational toy whichillustrates the applications of centrifugal force, kinetic energy andleverage ratios. Another object of the invention is to create an actiontoy which requires a degree of physical exertion to manipulate, which isbeneficial to a child. Still another object of the invention is todevelop coordination, a certain degree of which is required tosuccessfully manipulate the toy.

-Still additional objects, benefits and advantages will become evidentfrom a study of the following detailed description of preferredembodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the basic invention,having the upper portion of the viewing arrangement cut away forclarity.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 1 taken along the lines 2-2and 2a2a.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a simpler embodiment of the inventionwherein the marble encasement is of the same approximate diameter as thetubular housing and the eyepiece is of the same design and generalconstruction as the ordinary familiar kaleidoscope.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective View of one embodiment of the inventionwherein the reflecting surfaces are open, to permit viewing of thekaleidoscopic patterns by several persons at the same time.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate bottom of the marbleencasement, referring .back to FIGURE 2.

Novelty of the present invention lies in (l) the employment of spherespreferably vari-colored marbles for forming the kaleidoscopic patterns,(2) the provision for the marbles to circumrotate inside a transparentencasement, (3) the provision for the marbles to rock to and fro insidethe marble encasement, (4) the provision for the marbles to spin insteadof roll as they circumrotate the marble encasement, (5) the provisionfor the marbles to spin and bounce against each other, and (6) theprovision for the marbles to spin substantially alone aftercircumrotation action has ceased. Each of these provisions presentkaleidoscopic patterns of novel, interesting and amusing character. I v

The spinning action of the marbles in conjunction with circumrotatingaction is due to the fact that the marbles bear against both the top andbottom of the encasement slightly to one side of their axes of rotation,creating a considerable leverage revolution ratio when compared withrolling action. It is to be noted that the encasement itself consists ofa. circular top and a circular bottom having various combinations ofplane, conical and concave curvatures which, when a cylindrical spacerof proper thickness is introduced therebetween form a modified V shaperunway track enclosure. This arrangement causes the marbles to spin atrelatively high revolutions instead of roll when the kaleidoscope ismanipulated in a gyratory motion imparting centrifugal force to themarbles. The patterns thus formed by the marbles in action are observedsubstantially in the usual manner of an ordinary kaleidoscope, exceptthat the device is held vertically instead of horizontally.

Referring now specifically to the drawing, a kaleidoscopic toy 10constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown tocomprise the usual tubular housing 11, inside of which arelongitudinally disposed mirror reflectors 12 and 13 which usuallyconsist of a single piece of bright metal formed in a longitudinal Vshape. Inasmuch as it is necessary for the toy to be manipulated andviewed in a vertical position, provision has been made for the viewer tohold his head in substantially a normal position by means of cap 14,which contains viewing hole 15 angularly disposed to provide a slightlydownward viewing positon of the head, and the mirror 16 which isangularly mounted at such a degree as to reflect the pattern imagesthrough hole 15 to the eye of the viewer. Slots 17 and 18 are angularlyaffixed to the inside of tube 11 to provide a fixed mounting for mirror16. To the lower end of tubular housing 11 there are aflixed by means ofplastic or metal ring 19 which is glued or riveted thereto, marbleencasements 20 and 20a, preferably of transparent material which arejoined together by cylindrical spacer 21, using the plastic weld orgluing process. Encasement 20 is comprised of a transparent circular top22 which is shown in the drawing to be plane but which may be of convex,concave or a combination of plano-convex curvature if desired, atransparent circular conical shaped bottom 23 and a cylindrical spacer24, also preferably transparent. Likewise marble encasement 20a iscomposed of transparent circular plane top 22a, transparent circuilarconical bottom 23a, and cylindrical spacer 24a which is interposedbetween top 22a and bottom 23a. Balls or preferably marbles 25, 25a,25b, 25c, 25d and 25a are shown to be disposed inside transparentencasement 20, and marbles 25f, 25g, 25h, 25i, 25j, 25k and 26 aredisposed inside transparent encasement 20a. In the cross-sectional viewrepresented by FIGURE 2, only those marbles disposed rearward of lines22 and 2a-2a are shown.

In operation, the kaleidoscopic toy It) is grasped vertically in thehand and swung somewhat vigorously in a circular motion, eitherclockwise or counter-clockwise, which action sets all the marbles inspinning circumrotation. The toy is then held stationary in the hand,still in a vertical position, and the kaleidoscopic patterns are viewedthrough the hole 15. As kinetic energy is partially spent, reducingcentrifugal force at the same time, the marbles will circumrotate towardthe center of encasements 20 and 20a, bouncing against each other in theprocess, and expending their final kinetic energy spinning substantiallyalone or merely touching each other. All these actions are reflected tothe eye of the viewer in ever-changing and interesting kaleidoscopicpatterns.

Additional novelty is provided when the kaleidoscopic toy 10 is heldbetween the outstretched palms of both hands (after marbles are placedin circumrotation) and the toy quickly rotated in the direction oppositeto that in which the marbles are circumrotating. This action causes themarbles to drop out of circumrotation while still spinning very rapidly.Then an erratic pattern of circumrotation is developed which causes themarbles to constantly hit each other and bounce away, all this actionbeing reflected in kaleidoscopic patterns to the eye of the viewer.

t is to be noted that marble 26 shown in lower encasement 20a is oflarger diameter than marbles 25 thru 25k, which causes it tocircumrotate in a smaller diameter path is from the other marbles.Additional marbles the size of marble 26 could be introduced if desired.The advantage of having different sized marbles that circumrote inindependent paths according to size, is that more marbles can becircumrotated in this manner,increasing the novelty. Although as manymarbles as desired may be introduced into each encasement, there is apractical limit to the number that can be successfully circumrotated,due to the comparatively high leverage ratio imparted to the marblesbythe novel V shaped runway track previously described. Therefore, byemploying marbles of at least two difierent sizes following separatecircumrotating paths, the number of marbles that may be successfullycircumrotated is double.

Aside from observing kaleidoscopic patterns formed by circumrotating andspinning marbles, still additional novelty is provided when the toy 10is held in the hand or hands in a vertical position, and thelowerportion thereof actuated in a slight to-and-fro movement. Thepatterns observed by the viewer might best be described as color burstsas the marbles traverse boundaries of the V shaped mirrors 12 and 13.

FIGURE 3 illustrates a simplified embodiment 10a of the inventionwherein the transparent encasements 20b and 200 are shown to have thesame approximate diameters as the tubular housing 11a, and wherein thecap 14a is of the conventional kaleidoscopic type. Such simplifiedconstruction permits lower cost of manufacture than the more elaboratetoy 10, the encasement peripheries of which extend well beyond that ofthe tubular housing 11. Also FIGURE 3 provides an optional aperture 27,the purpose of which is to permit more light to enter encasements 20band 20c, providing increased illumination of marbles 28 and 28a. It isbelieved that further description of the kaleidoscopic toy 10a is notnecessary.

FIGURE 4 illustrates an innovation to toys 10 and 10a previouslydescribed, in that the embodiment 10b has an opening formed by themirrors 12a and 13a, extending upward through cylindrical housing 11band on through cap 14b. This arrangement permits viewing of thekaleidoscopic patterns by several persons at the same time. Transparentencasements 20d and 20s are of the same construction as previouslydescribed encasements 20, 20a, 20b and 20c. It is thought that thepurpose and advantages of kaleidoscopic toy 10b will be readilyunderstood Without further reference or de-" scription.

FIGURE is a cross-section of an alternate suggestion for the curvatureformation of encasement bottoms 23 and 23a illsutrated in FIGURES 1 and2, as well as for comparable encasement bottoms illustrated in FIGURES 3and 4. Here encasement bottom 29 is shown to comprise the combination ofboth plane and convex curvatures. The convex curvature is formed in thecenter portion of the bottom and permits either of the kaleidoscopictoys illsutrated to stand erect upon a substantially flat surface, aswell as permitting the rotation of the toys, particularly applicable totoy b, in a direction opposite to that in which the marbles arecircumrotating, the purpose and advantages of such action having beenpreviously described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desired tobe protected by Letters Patent is:

1. A kaleidoscopic toy comprising a tubular housing,

at least one encasement aflixed to one end of said tubular housing, eachencasement consisting of a circular shaped top, and a circular bottom,at least one of which is curved out of the general plane thereof, thesaid top and bottom forming a convergent angled runway track betweensaid circular top and bottom; a cylindrical spacer interposed betweensaid circular top and bottom adjacent the boundaries of theirperipheries, each encasement being joined to the succeeding encasementby means of a cylindrical spacer interposed between said encasementsadjacent the boundaries of their peripheries; at least one ballrotatably disposed in each of said encasements,,said balls being of suchsize as to be constrained by and bear against both the top and bottom ofthe said respective encasements at points slightly to one side of theaxes of rotation of said balls when the toy is swung in a gyratorymotion imparting centrifugal force to said balls, causing same to spinat a relatively high rate as they circumrotate within said circularencasements; reflections from said balls being transmitted to the eye ofan observer by means of a V-shaped longitudinal mirror disposed withinsaid tubular housing, through an aperture in a circular cap afl'ixed tothe upper portion of said tubular housing.

'2. A kaleidoscopic toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein thekaleidoscopic reflections from said balls are angularly transmitted tothe eye of an observer by means of a mirror angularly mounted above saidV-shaped longitudinal mirror, through an aperture in a cap aflixed tothe upper portion of said tubular housing, said aperture beingangularlydisposed in relation to said angularly mounted mirror.

3. A kaleidoscopic toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein a longitudinalaperture is provided opposite the apex of the V-shaped longitudinalmirror, said longitudinal aperture commencing at that end of saidtubular housing adjacent to said encasements, extending upwardly andterminating intermediate said tubular housing for the purpose ofintroducing additional illumination upon said balls.

4. A kaleidoscopic toy as set forth in claim 2 wherein a longitudinalaperture is provided opposite the apex of the V-shaped longitudinalmirror, said longitudinal aperture commencing at that end of saidtubular housing adjacent to said encasements, extending upwardly andterminating intermediate said tubular housing for the purpose ofintroducing additional illumination upon said balls.

5. A kaleidoscopic toy comprising a cylindrical housing havingreflecting surfaces angularly related and longitudinally disposed withinsaid cylindrical housing, a longitudinal opening the width of andopposite the apex of the reflecting surfaces, said longitudinal openingextending substantially the full length of said cylindrical housing, acircular cap aflixed to the upper end of said cylindrical housing, saidcap being cut to conform to the opening formed by said reflectingsurfaces; and having one or more encasements each containing therein atleast one rotatably disposed ball as set forth in claim 1 afiixed to thelower end of said cylindrical housing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,485,795 3/ 1924Mallernee 88-15 1,780,969 11/1930 Brunner 88-45 X 2,066,548 1/ 1937Thompson 8815 3,039,356 6/1962 Knittel 8815 3,066,571 12/1962 Shaffer88-15 JULIA E. COINER, Primary Examiner.

1. A KALEIDOSCOPIC TOY COMPRISING A TUBULAR HOUSING, AT LEAST ONEENCASEMENT AFFIXED TO ONE END OF SAID TUBULAR HOUSING, EACH ENCASEMENTCONSISTING OF A CIRCULAR SHAPED TOP, AND A CIRCULAR BOTTOM, AT LEAST ONEOF WHICH IS CURVED OUT OF THE GENERAL PLANE THEREOF, THE SAID TOP ANDBOTTOM FORMING A CONVERGENT ANGLED RUNWAY TRACK BETWEN SAID CIRCULAR TOPAND BOTTOM; A CYLINDRICAL SPACER INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID CIRCULAR TOPAND BOTTOM ADJACENT THE BOUNDARIES OF THEIR PERIPHERIES, EACH ENCASEMENTBEING JOINED TO THE SUCCEDDING ENCASEMENT BY MEANS OF A CYLINDRICALSPACER INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID ENCASEMENTS ADJACENT THE BOUNDARIES OFTHEIR PERPHERIES; AT LEAST ONE BALL ROTATABLY DISPOSED IN EACH OF SAIDENCASEMENTS, SAID BALLS BEING OF SUCH SIZE AS TO BE CONSTRAINED BY ANDBEAR AGAINST BOTH THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE SAID RESPECTIVE ENCASEMENTSAT POINTS SLIGHTLY TO ONE SIDE OF THE AXES OF ROTATION OF SAID BALLSWHEN THE TOY IS SWUNG IN A GYRATORY MOTION IMPARTING CENTRIFUGAL FORCETO SAID BALLS, CAUSING SAME TO SPIN AT A RELATIVELY HIGH RATE AS THEYCIRCUMROTATE WITHIN SAID CIRCULAR ENCASEMENTS; REFLECTIONS FROM SAIDBALL BEING TRANSMITTED TO THE EYE OF AN OBSEVER BY MEANS OF A V-SHAPEDLONGITUDINAL MIRROR DISPOSED WITHIN SAID TUBULAR HOUSING, THROUGH ANAPERTURE IN A CIRCULAR CAP AFFIXED TO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID TUBULARHOUSING.